May 12th- Two Heroes

Chief Wilson Lewars was shot and killed on May 12, 1928 as he and his patrolman interrupted five men looting the Paterson Silk Plant. The patrolman was hit with two pellets of buckshot in his leg and face but recovered. Chief Lewars was a Quartermaster Sergeant in the Spanish American War and a Pennsylvania National Guard veteran who served with the Hamburg Borough Police Department for five years. He was survived by his wife. His killers were captured and imprisoned.

On May 12, 1968, while serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, 21-year-old Sergeant Jackie R Seltzer courageously charged a Viet Cong bunker and a large group of enemy that had his platoon pinned down. With his platoon leader wounded, Jackie took charge and led his men to defeat the larger force. As he was returning to evacuate the wounded, he was killed by small arms fire. At the time, Jackie only had 15 days left on his combat tour. He was awarded a posthumous Silver Star for his gallantry, and previously awarded a Bronze Star for Valor. This year, the newly built bridge on State Street was dedicated to his memory.

SGT Jackie Seltzer Memorial Bridge sign in Rep. Barton’s Hamburg office, prior to the bridge dedication.

I was honored and proud to lend my support to the petition presented to Representative Jamie Barton back in Fall of 2023: